The Perfect Girl

“Hurry up!”

I was almost jumping up and down in excitement as I waited for Jake to get out of his house. It was time to sneak around and destroy Natalie’s date. I planned to absolutely demolish it to pieces until she cried. When I told Jake this plan, he’d listened but kept a strange look on his face before adding an unnecessary statement about how she’d run crying to him. And tada, half my excitement flew out the window. Although, I wasn’t as excited as before, my body was still just shaking with anticipation.

Jake rolled his eyes as he finally came through the doors. I grinned, racing for his car as he took his damn time getting to the driver’s seat. I cursed him in my head for purposely making me wait any longer. He clicked a button on his key chain and the car beeped, unlocking its doors. I immediately whipped the door open and settled myself in his car before seat belting myself down. We were now ready to go.

I glanced at Jake who was just chuckling as he clicked the seat belt and started the car. The car purred to life and I nearly burst with joy when the car reversed and left his driveway. When we got to the street, my mind was all over the place with glee. By the time we were out of the neighborhood, I swear I was bursting at the seams with every positive word known to man.

“Calm down,” Jake chuckled as he stopped for a red light.

“Ever since she bitched at me yesterday, I’ve been dying to just…”I trailed off, struggling to find the right word to describe what I wanted to do.

“Slap her? Kill her? Strangle her?” Jake suggested and I shook my head.

“Eh…Not quite,” I mumbled and finally frowned, thinking of what it was I planned. “Something worse.”

Jake started laughing as he pressed the gas pedal and we sped forward, “You’re so sadistic!”

Shrugging, I ignored his accusation. Instead, I told him where the date was, “Go down to Clementine’s.”

Jake raised an eyebrow, “Clementine’s? As in the one by the harbor?” I nodded. He looked at me strangely, “Uh…Why?”

I looked at him as if he were stupid as he looked at me as if I had two heads, “That’s where the date is, Jake.”

Suddenly, his eyes widened. “Nat and Ryan are there?”

I gave him a funny look before nodding. His jaw nearly dropped. “What? What’s wrong with Clementine’s?”

He stared at me, “I just- I never thought she’d actually eat there.”

I cracked up laughing. So because she was a skinny stick he thought she couldn’t eat some greasy, straight up American food? I laughed harder, nearly earning myself a six pack. He just stared straight out the window with an embarrassed look on his face.

“Why are you laughing? You don’t eat there either, do you?” He mumbled and I sighed, calming myself down.

“Why wouldn’t I eat there? Duke and Jase love that place and I usually tag along,” I said and he raised both his eyebrows this time. “What? Do you not like Clementine’s or something?”

“No! It’s not that…It’s just…I didn’t think girls like you or Natalie ate at places like that,” He said and I just gaped at him.

“Girls like me and Natalie? What in the world do she and I have in common?” I asked confused. Natalie and I were so far apart in personality it could’ve been funny. We were nothing alike, besides the fact we were both brunettes. That was as far as the similarities went.

“You’re both really skinny. I figured you did the same as she did. Salads, water, bulimia, the works,” He said sheepishly and I just shook my head in disappointment. How could he have thought I had her kind of diet? What was wrong with the boy?

Scoffing, I replied, “Do I seem like some starving twig? That was a huge insult.”

Jake bit his lip and I found myself blushing just from the sight of it. For some reason, the nervous look on his face combined with the biting of his lip was incredibly cute. So cute it made me turn bright red. I looked away, pretending to be angry as he contemplated what to say.

“If it makes up for that, you look much better than she does.”

My breath hitched as I heard him speak, a silent gasp followed by a blush had occurred. Had he really said what I heard? He couldn’t have. No way. I glanced at him from the corner of my eye and I saw him with the slightest smile and a pinch of pink on his cheeks. Was he embarrassed? I looked back out the mirror and nibbled on my bottom lip.

He probably meant something else. It had to have come out wrong. There was no way I looked better than his dream girl. She was prettier, taller, curvier, skinnier, and her arms weren’t abnormally large. She beat me in all categories that mentioned looks. She worked it the way I never could. He had either meant something completely different or he was lying. Either way, there was no possible way he meant what he said. No way.

I watched the scenery pass by in a blur as we drove to Clementine’s in silence. No one had spoken a word ever since Jake’s remark about me looking better than his perfect bitch. I glanced at him every few seconds, but I’d always look away fast when I saw he was looking back at me at the same time.

I ran a hand through my hair before pulling a rubber band off my wrist and tying it up into a messy bun. Glancing at my wardrobe, I nearly laughed. Sweats and a v-neck definitely didn’t look better than Natalie in her designer clothes and pricey shoes. My worn out Toms were probably junk compared to her thousand dollar heels. Even more than that, her hair was always sleek, shiny and perfect while my frizzy waves were moved into a messy and badly done bun. His perfect girl looked a million times better than me. I didn’t even hold a candle to Natalie.

As he parked, I undid my seatbelt and took a hold on the handle. As soon as he cut the engine, I opened the door and climbed out onto my feet. It was time to ruin Natalie’s date. It was time to make Natalie cry even though she’d cry right into Jake’s arms. It was Game On.

“Let’s roll!” I grinned, grabbing his arm and pulling him towards the entrance.

Strangely, the restaurant lacked its usual enormous line. There was still chatter and laughter chorusing through the air, but it was missing the energy it usually had. The scarce excitement made the restaurant feel different, abnormal.

Clementine’s was old fashion. Everything in the room was old fashioned and aged years and decades back. Clementine’s was family fun for its entire lifespan. It was also the best and happiest place to eat. The atmosphere Clementine’s had made it the best restaurant in South Haven.

Jake and I walked up the line space until we reached the check in counter and asked for a booth for two. The lady walked us to a booth in the filled area before I caught sight of Natalie. She was at a table that was made especially for two. Natalie was clad in skinny jeans that were meant for her with a black long sleeved shirt that hugged her curves to a T. It had a deep neckline that swoop far down. Her brown boots reached the middle of her calf and her hair was curled to a perfect look. She looked like she came straight from a magazine.

I felt my smile fade as I looked back down at myself. I looked up at Jake to see if he’d noticed her only to see him two meters away, talking to the hostess lady. I watched as he whipped out his Jake Rivers smile and seduced her into agreeing with whatever he was trying to do. He glanced at me with a big grin. I looked back at Natalie and hurried to him as he led us to a booth in the empty area of the restaurant.

“We’ll sit here.”

I looked at the booth he’d chosen. It was against the wall dividing the sections. I nodded as I realized the booth had the best view of Natalie’s table. We sat down and the hostess lady kindly gave us each a menu. I smiled in gratitude while Jake grabbed it and immediately looked at his choices.

“What are you getting?” Jake asked and I shrugged.

“I always get the same thing,” I told him before looking at the lady, “I’ll have the Grilled Cheese Basket and a Sprite, please.”

I watched her write it down as she nodded before taking the menu. She glanced at Jake and he quickly stared down at the menu again. He looked up at me, back down at the menu, back towards me and finally to the hostess who was swooning in his presence.

“I’ll have the twelve inch onion rings and water,” He ordered hesitantly and she happily wrote his order down. She reached for the menu and purposely made sure their hands touched before running off. I felt a pang of jealousy. It was funny how I was a part of Jake’s life for sixteen years, and yet he still gave all his attention to other girls. It was funny how I had absolutely no chance.

“She looks pretty,” I mumbled as I looked at Natalie. I heard a sigh.

“I guess,” He grunted and yawned.

I glanced at him as my excitement to ruin Natalie’s date died. Jake was looking at the empty side of the restaurant. He didn’t even glance at her. Could he really not stand not seeing her with another guy? Was his way of being jealous totally apathetic? I looked back at Natalie and sighed as I looked at my attire again.

“So what do you have planned?”

I snapped up and stared at Jake before answering, “I don’t have anything planned. Surprisingly, I don’t have experience in this area. I’m not some pro at helping guys score their dream girl.”

He chuckled, “You didn’t know what to do for the party either. In fact, I ended up taking care of you. Why is it your plans to get me my dream girl always ends with me doing more work?”

As he said this, the drinks came around. A Sprite sat before me and water came for Jake.

I laughed, leaning onto the table, “No one forced you to hire me. For all you know, I might be trying to sabotage your love life.”

He feigned hurt, placing a hand over his chest, “You wouldn’t!”

“Pft. I just might,” I smiled, jokingly winking at him. He laughed, resting his elbows onto the table.

Right then an idea occurred in my mind. As a waiter passed us I raised my hand. He came and asked me what I needed. “Can you take this,” I handed him my Sprite, “and ‘accidentally’ pour it all over the pretty girl at table five? Oh and bring me another once you’re done.”

The waiter looked at me funny before I grabbed a twenty from my pocket and slipped it into his pocket. He hesitantly agreed and I smiled. Jake looked at me amused before we both watched the soda go to the area Natalie was at. The waiter looked at me as he passed Natalie before pretending to trip and pouring the soda onto Natalie from head to toe.

A high pitched scream erupted from Natalie as she was drenched. I burst out laughing as I watched her fuss about her hair and clothes. Jake was laughing, amusement flickering through his eyes. I fist pumped the air and grinned, “Score!”

I watched Natalie angrily run to the restrooms to clean up and Ryan run after her. I grinned and eyed the plates of spaghetti on her table. I raised an eyebrow.

“Hold on,” I mumbled and grabbed the hot sauce before quickly running to Natalie’s table. I undid the bottle of hot sauce and dumped it into Natalie’s spaghetti. After the bottle was mostly empty, I shook the last drops into Ryan’s and sprinted back to Jake who was grinning.

“Why didn’t you wait to do that?” He asked and I rolled my eyes. If you’re going to ruin a date, you might as well do it quick. As Jake spoke, the waiter returned with my new sprite.

“I don’t want to have to think when I’m eating,” I replied and he laughed at me just as Natalie and Ryan returned.

Natalie was still a mess but better than she was five minutes ago. She sat down with Ryan who had a grin on his face. Natalie grabbed her fork and twisted some pasta onto her fork. I grinned, waiting excitedly for Natalie and Ryan to both get their mouths burned.

Natalie and Ryan both placed a mouthful into their mouths at the same time and chewed before both spat out the pasta. I began to laugh as Natalie grabbed her cup of water and tried to drink the spice away. I laughed harder as she yelled at Ryan about the worst date ever and angrily stormed from the restaurant leaving Ryan alone with a burned mouth. He looked a little relieved as he placed two twenties on the table and left, but only after calling someone else to make plans.

“Date ruined,” I said and shrugged. “It was a little too fast for my liking though.”

Jake laughed at me, shaking his head. “You’re so weird.”

I shrugged, grabbing for his water and taking a sip. I quickly sat up as the food came. The lady placed each plate before us before putting down the cups. I rubbed my hands together as I prepared myself for my grilled cheese. As she left, I grabbed my sandwich and began to munch. I was a quarter done when I realized Jake was looking at me. I glanced up before blinking and raising one eyebrow.

“What are you looking at?”

He glanced at my sandwich and back up with a pout, “Can I try that?”

My jaw nearly fell to the floor. Jake wanted my sandwich. I slowly shook my head.

“Eat your onion rings,” I replied with a funny expression on my face.

His pout got worse and his eyes gleamed with a cuteness that was hard to handle. I resisted, still shaking my head. Suddenly, I felt something hot slam against my face and fall to the table. I blinked, looked down to see an onion ring on my sandwich. I looked up at him with a blank face before taking the onion ring and throwing it back at him.

He scooted to the side, dodging it as he flew over the back of his seat. I grabbed his pole of onion rings and grabbed three, throwing them at him. Two hit him and landed either near him or on him. The third hit him right on the face, but he caught it with his mouth.

“Yum,” He chuckled before smirking. Show off.

I grabbed my cup of sprite, drinking all of it, ignoring the brain freeze as I slipped a few ice cubes into my palm. I angrily chucked five at him, making his shirt stain with water. He looked down at his shirt; back up at my smug smirk before giving me a look that screamed ‘Game On’.

He grabbed a few dirty onion rings before smashing them and throwing them at me. I could feel the mangled onion rings get tangled with my hair. I grabbed my sandwich, took a bite, chewed it and spat all of it at him. His eyes shut just as I blew the chewed remaining at him, but once I was done, he opened his eyes with a mischievous look in his eye. He grabbed my sandwich, ripped it opened and slammed the cheesy toast all over my front side.

I gasped as I felt the heat burn my skin. I panted as I jumped from the heat.

“Hot! Hot! Oh my god, it’s hot!” I screamed, wiping it off with a napkin as Jake doubled over with laughter on the other side of the booth.

As I got the remainder of the hot cheese off me, I chucked the extra cheese at him. It landed on his head, ruining his hair and splattered onto his shirt. His laughter cut short before he glared.

“You just ruined my hair,” He growled, taking my cup and shoving it so the ice would fly at me. Two cubes slid down my shirt and I jumped from the booth, screaming.

“Fucking cold!” I squealed, jumping up and down, flapping my shirt until the two cubes slipped through. I scowled and saw back down before I reached for his onion rings.

Before I could do anything, he grabbed my hand, preventing me from tossing any more food at him. I tried to rip my hand away but he just tightened his grip. I looked up at him, straight into his eyes and I swear I saw stars. My heart raced as a lump grew in my throat. My chest suddenly felt heavier and breathing became difficult.

It was the kind of moment you saw in movies where the two leads would kiss. And it truly seemed as though I would get my movie moment with Jake since we both slowly leaned in.

We were merely two centimeters, one move and we’d kiss. Right as we were so close, I could feel his breath, he spoke, “You’ve got a little something on your face.”

My face instantly reddened as he dragged a napkin over my face, removing whatever was on my face. I was blushing a bright red as I grabbed his hand from my face. I pulled it away, taking the napkin and cleaning my face myself. When I looked up, he was looking away with his face tinted pink. I could only imagine how red my own face was.

“Well, uh… there goes our food,” I say, trying to break the awkward silence. Jake looked over and slowly a real smile spread over his face. I grinned back.

“Hey guys.”

I looked over to see Will. An instant anger took over, but I calmed myself. It wasn’t time yet. Jake suddenly stepped out from his side in the booth and took the seat beside me. Will raised an eyebrow, but didn’t question him. He just simply took Jake’s spot and grinned.

“So what are you guys doing here?”

I shrugged and Jake answered, “That’s none of your business.”

Will raised his hands in defense, “Just asking!”

Jake rolled his eyes and put his hand onto the back of our booth seat which made him wrap his arm around me. I squirmed, but felt comfortable. Will nodded at us and sighed, “I’m going to hit the stalls for a second.”

I ignored Will as he walked away. Instead, I nudged Jake. “Thanks.”

Jake shrugged but smiled, “No big deal.”

I looked up at Jake as he looked back down at me. I stared right into his blue eyes again. I could feel that nervous feeling build up again. The pounding of my heart echoed through my ears as Jake was leaned in again. I stayed back, my head down but my eyes up. He came closer before he was a mere inch away from me. Our noses were touching. I braced myself for it. I’d finally get my kiss.

“I’m back.”

Jake snapped out of it, falling back into his seat. His face was a clear red shade now as he looked away awkwardly. I glanced up to see Will with a stupid smile on his face. I wanted to rip his smile off and pound his face in until he died. Why did he always have to ruin my moments? With the anger built in, I knew it was time. I nudged Jake. He looked down slowly, his cheeks still pink. I motioned with my eyes to Will and Jake instantly understood. He nodded reluctantly.

“Will, we need to talk.”

Jake took that as his cue to leave, “I’m going to wait for you in the car.”

I nodded as he reached into his pocket and gave me his wallet so I could pay. As he left, Will grinned at me.

“What’s up, Kylie?”

I didn’t even bother to be nice before I confronted him. I cut to the chase. “I know what you did at the party, Will.”

Will’s smile faded. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I rolled my eyes, “Don’t fucking lie. You took advantage of me while I was drunk. It’s funny because I really thought we were friends.”

Will leaned back into his seat, his face straight, “Who the hell told you that?”

I glared at him, “Doesn’t matter who. What matters is that it’s true.”

“Jake said it right?” Will growled. I flinched. “You want to know what else is funny? It’s funny how that’s a fucking lie. I would never do that, Kylie,” He said and my face hardened before I looked at him.

Everything about his face said he was being honest. His eyes pleaded and the angry look voiced he didn’t like the accusation. Did that mean Jake lied to me? But why?

“Why would he do that to me?” I argued and Will scoffed.

“He hates you,” Will reminded me. “He’d do anything to hurt you.”

The thought that Jake would truly screw me over to get back at me rolled through my mind. Why I never thought of it before was beyond me. There was a crack inside of me as I realized this. I gulped, on the verge of tears. Would he really do that?

“Really?” I whispered. Oddly, I begged him to say it was all true. I wanted him to tell me he was an awful person and that Jake never lied. I wanted him to tell me Jake didn’t lie to me. I’d rather had gone through all of it than know Jake lied to me.

Jake fought me, but he would never lie to me. Until now.

Will looked me straight in the eyes, “Kylie, I would never do that to you.”

I could almost feel my heart shatter. Jake had lied to me. But for what? So he could mess with my emotions? I felt my chest get heavy, but this time, it was in a bad way. I felt tears bottle up before the anger washed through me.

Jake had lied to me. He played with my emotions. How could Jake lie about something so stupid? Something like that wasn’t to be messed with. A lump grew in my throat as I grabbed Jake’s wallet, grabbed two twenties and tossed it at the billing counter before rampaging my way out.

I slammed the door shut and stared at Jake. He was leaning against his car, waiting for me. I marched over, tears spilling from my eyes. I threw his wallet at him.

“Whoa, what’s wrong?” Jake asked concerned. Or rather, he faked concern. He looked at me and his face hardened. “What did he do to you?”

I laughed bitterly, “Him? How could you lie to me! I know we’re not friends. I know you hate me. But this isn’t funny! I’m still a girl, I’m still sensitive and I still have fucking emotions, Jake!” I screamed, tears spilling from my eyes. “How could you lie about that?” I croaked, my voice raspy as a sob escaped from me.

Jake began to walk towards me. He held me by my upper arms and he looked at me, “Kylie, what are you talking about?”

I began to slam my arms against his chest, hitting him as tears came rushing from me like a waterfall. “How could you lie? I know I don’t matter to you. I get that, but did you have to lie to me about this?”

Jake tightened his grip as I tried to push him away. “Kylie, what the hell are you saying?”

“Don’t act like you don’t know. You fucking lied about Will to fuck with my emotions. Physical abuse wasn’t enough was it?” I spat and slammed against his chest. He stumbled away and I turned on my heel, running off.

I didn’t know where I was going. All I knew was that I couldn’t be around Jake Rivers.